From the course: 20 Unofficial Rules of Songwriting

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Rule #15: Keep your melody's range singable

Rule #15: Keep your melody's range singable

From the course: 20 Unofficial Rules of Songwriting

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Rule #15: Keep your melody's range singable

- Rule number 15, keep your melody's range singable. It's really important to remember that the songs you write will ultimately have to be sung. This is particularly true if you're pitching your songs to other artists and hoping that they'll record them. It's essential that you're aware of your melody's range. Especially if you're not a singer and you're creating the melody on an instrument for example. Now, there will always be exceptions to this rule, but it's definitely something to keep in mind. In our song example, To Have and To Hold, while the melody has some range to it, it doesn't vary so much that it's unattainable. Again, it's the duration of the notes and the phrasing which set this particular melody apart. For our Grammy award winning song example, give Always on My Mind, sung by Willie Nelson, a good listen.

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